Fence-wire stretcher



(No Model.)

W. NORMAN. FENCE WIRE STRETGHER.

Patented Mar. 31,1896.

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NITED STATES WILLIAM IV. NORMAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FENCE-WIRE STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,418, dated March 31, 1896.

Application filed September 11, 1895. Serial No. 562,200. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM W. NORMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence -lVire Stretchers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in implements for stretching Wires; and its obj ect is to provide an improved device by means of which the strands or wires may be securely gripped, and by means of a lever pivotally connected with the grip and having one of the fence-posts at its fulcrum the proper tension can be given to the wires or strands to take up the slack and tighten the same.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

I11 the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a fence-wire stretcher constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the grip detached from the lever. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the same, the sliding jaw being removed; and Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line a; 51:, Fig. 1.

In the said drawings the reference-numeral 1 designates the shank of the grip, having at its outer or free end a head 2, comprising the side wall 3 and the outwardly-extending inclined walls 4 and 5, at right angles thereto and to each other, forming a way to receive a sliding Wedgeshaped jaw 6, having its outer end rounded and formed with an aperture through which passes a headed screw-bolt '7, provided with a nut 8. This bolt works in a slot 9 in the side 3, and with the nut 8 serves to hold the jaw in place, yet allows it to slide back and forth. Interposed between the inner end of the jaw and the rear wall 5 is a coiled spring 10, the tendency of which is to press the j aw outwardly. The said grip is also formed with a flange 12, between which and the inner side of the jaw the wire is clamped, and on this side of the jaw is formed with a numberof teeth or serrations 1-3. As seen in Fig. 1, there is a wedgeshaped space formed between the teeth of the jaw and the flange 12 to receive the wire. At the opposite end the grip is bifurcated, forming two arms 14, provided with apertures through which passes a pi vot-bolt 15,by means of which a lever 16 is pivotally connected with the grip, an aperture being formed in the lever for the passage of the bolt.

The manner of using the device is as follows: The jaw is pushed back or rearward, thereby increasing the space between the teeth thereof and the flange l2, and the wire or strand to be stretched is engaged in said space, which can be readily done by slipping the device sidewise onto the wire. The jaw is then released and the coiled spring will force the same outward, causing the wire to be clamped between the teeth and the flange 12. The short arm of the lever is then placed against one of the fence-posts, which serves as its fulcrum, and by forcing the long arm of the lever away from the postthe wire will be stretched. Owing to the inclination of the wall a and the shape of the sliding jaw, the

greater the leverage or power exerted by the lever the tighter the wire will be gripped or clamped.

By means of an implement constructed as above, which can be readily applied to afencewire, the wire can be stretched or tightened to take up slack in a rapid and efficient manner.

The invention can be used in connection with all kinds of wire fences, whether barbed or not.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is- In a fence-wire stretcher, the combination with the grip comprising the shank,bifurcated at one end and at the other end formed with a slotted side wall, the inclined outwardly-extending wall at a right angle thereto, the inclined intersecting rear wall at a right angle thereto, and the horizontal flange, of the wedge-shaped sliding jaw, having teeth on its inner side, the headed screw-bolt passing my own I have hereunto aflixed my signature therethrough and through the slot in the side in presence of two Witnesses.

wall, the coiled spring between the rear Wall T and the jaw and the lever pivotally connected TILLIAM NORMAL 5 with the bifurcated end of the grip, snbstan- 'itnesses:

tially as described. G. W. MCMILLION,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as SAM COX. 

